![]() |
|
You are here Home | Government | Lord Rooker?.. Mister Hain would like a word Next or Previous « facing extradition proceedings | Main | What’s going on with the UVF? »
SOS - Save Our Slugger!
Help fund Slugger's new software: Or mail it direct to Slugger! |
August 18, 2005 Lord Rooker?.. Mister Hain would like a word I happen to agree with Lord Rooker - "Let's face it, the structure of the 11 [Assembly] departments is absolutely barmy. It's illogical." - but I doubt that Secretary of State, Peter Hain, would want him to say that in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph. As David Gordon notes in the article - "Lord Rooker is the Government's Northern Ireland spokesman in the Lords, as well as being Minister for Agriculture, Environment, Finance and Personnel and the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). and of that umbrella he said - "Every week, I find something new I am responsible for. I'm the women's minister, for starters. That takes a bit of explaining." Indeed. He also had this to say about being the Labour Party's spokesman on NI in the House of Lords "The Lords Ministers work harder than the Commons Ministers - you may quote me on that by the way," he says. Rooker, old chap, you're being quoted on everything.. as I'm sure the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [and Wales], Peter Hain, will remind you. And David Gordon ends the interview with - Lord Rooker says: "I'm not envisaging that I'm here for the long-term." Opinion might be divided on whether that's a good thing...
Posted by: peteb at August 19, 2005 12:19 AM "The departmental set-up was created after the Good Friday Agreement to ensure there were enough ministerial portfolios to share between the parties." Says it all really. Who cares about good governance as long as you can keep every little sub-tribe happy. They even planned the assembly seats to make sure the terrorist loving PUP and the bra-burners got some seats. Did someone say gerrymandering? ;) Posted by: beano at August 19, 2005 12:02 PM "and the bra-burners got some seats ...better bras than buses n churches?:) Posted by: Jo at August 19, 2005 01:04 PM |
Slugger O'Toole records news, commentary and diverse opinion on Northern Ireland. Produced by Mick Fealty News, tips or crits here: mick.fealty -at- gmail.com Topics a long peace?books Britain Conflict Culture Economy Education election 2003 Election 2005 Enviroment environment Europe Gaeilge Glossary Government Highlights Human Rights Humour International Manifesto Media Nationalism Negotiations Parties Policing Soapbox Society Sport the south unionism
Highlights
Out with the crystal ball...Just a Mo... Commenting Policy A backgrounder on the McCartney affair Northern Bank raid and political fallout, so far
Readers comments
More corrupt than last year? - (4)Living on an island or in a state? - (31) a combination of historical ignorance and monumental self-pity - (42) Payout time... - (4) New Lansdowne revealed - (24) Far right 'imagination'... - (13) Nazi comments were a sectarian slur - (3) The price of peacemaking... - (17) belfast metropolitan area plan unveiled - (23) Why (or rather how) Alec Reid was right... - (37)
Archives
October 2005September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 July 2004 March 2004 October 2003 September 2003 May 2003 |
|
Design: River Path Associates Comments: Big Blog Co Powered:
Movable Type 3.15 Copyright © 2003 Sluggerotoole.com
All rights reserved.
|
<a href="(URL)">hyperlink</a>
It is important that you include http:// when adding the URL.